How do I confirm VPN is working?

[Rick Simonton]

I am not knowledgeable of MAC or apple products !

What are you using for your openVPN server ?
Is it an application on a router ?
Who is your internet service provider ?
What is ISP modem/router make and model number ?
Are you using a ASUS router as the server for the openVPN ?
What service are you using for your DDNS ?

Provide a simple diagram of your home network, modem,router, switches, cameras. Include make and model number,

There should be a log file for the openVPN server, what does it indicate

What are you using for your openVPN server ?
ASUS Router RT-AC8600U.
Is it an application on a router ?
Yes.
Who is your internet service provider ?
Spectrum Cable.
What is ISP modem/router make and model number ?
There are two. The first is an Arris Telephony Modem TM502G. I guess it separates out the land line phone. It also outputs a coax that is "T"ed with one side going to the televisions, the other going to the 2nd modem. The second modem is a Netgear Cable Modem CM 400.

Are you using a ASUS router as the server for the openVPN ?
Yes
What service are you using for your DDNS ?
I'm pretty sure that is provided by ASUS. It was incorporated with the routers built in OpenVPN Server feature. It gave me a domain name XXX.asuscomm.com

Provide a simple diagram of your home network, modem,router, switches, cameras. Include make and model number,
Done
There should be a log file for the openVPN server, what does it indicate.
I don't see a log specific to VPN server. I do have a log button on the routers home page. It has seven tabs with different logs namely:
General Logs (this seems to include VPN related listings)
Wireless Logs
DHCP leases
IPV6 (indicates disabled)
Routing Table
Port Forwarding (none Listed)
Connections
Which ones is of interest to you? And If any are, is it prudent to publish this data on the inter-webs? I'd feel better if I could email it to you directly.

 

[fenderman]

Who is your internet service provider ?
Spectrum Cable.
What is ISP modem/router make and model number ?
There are two. The first is an Arris Telephony Modem TM502G. I guess it separates out the land line phone. It also outputs a coax that is "T"ed with one side going to the televisions, the other going to the 2nd modem. The second modem is a Netgear Cable Modem CM 400.

Spectrum created a mess. There is no need for two modems. They likely installed the netgear when you ordered faster speeds because the arris is slow. Call them and tell them to send you a modem that supports telephone and docsis 3.0. Ensure that it is a modem ONLY with no built in router or you will have issues. I believe their modem is "free" (not really free but included in your internet fee and you cannot get a reduction by using your own).

 

[Rick Simonton]

It is an ASUS and you should be able to see the "connected" indication on the router OpenVPN status page for confirmation.

Sorry for the delay...Ive been down with the flu
In fact I do see "connected" indication on the router OpenVPN status field. There is also 3 separate VPN indicators on the iphone, so that seems positive.

So my question is, if the VPN is working it should deliver me to my home network. How do I access my home computer. This seems fundamental. I understand the ivpm-4500 is how I will access the cameras but the setup for that combined with the VPN is not documented (that I can find as of yet).
But if my goal was just to access my computer how would I access them? Do I need another app?

Concerning also is with VPN ON i can NOT connect the iphone to the camera via IP address using a browser, but I can with VPN turned OFF.
What gives!

 

[fenderman]

Sorry for the delay...Ive been down with the flu
In fact I do see "connected" indication on the router OpenVPN status field. There is also 3 separate VPN indicators on the iphone, so that seems positive.

So my question is, if the VPN is working it should deliver me to my home network. How do I access my home computer. This seems fundamental. I understand the ivpm-4500 is how I will access the cameras but the setup for that combined with the VPN is not documented (that I can find as of yet).
But if my goal was just to access my computer how would I access them? Do I need another app?

Concerning also is with VPN ON i can NOT connect the iphone to the camera via IP address using a browser, but I can with VPN turned OFF.
What gives!

yes if you want to connect to the pc you need an OS with a remote desktop server. Otherwise you can use any of the remote desktop apps like teamviewer - without vpn.
its not working with vpn on because you failed to disconnect from your local wifi network.

 

[Rick Simonton]

Also need to verify the DDNS you set up (ASUS?) is working correctly.

How do I do that?

 

[Rick Simonton]

its not working with vpn on because you failed to disconnect from your local wifi network.

Dang! I Wish you were right but I have WIFI OFF

 

[fenderman]

Dang! I Wish you were right but I have WIFI OFF

if you have wifi off, it would be impossible for you to connect to your home network unless the vpn was on OR you left the port forward on.

 

[Rick Simonton]

if you have wifi off, it would be impossible for you to connect to your home network unless the vpn was on OR you left the port forward on.

With NoloC help, we confirmed that i have no ports forwarded. Is it possible there is an on-off switch somewhere that could be on? Assuming "no" or it does not matter as long as nothing is forwarded... Then my VPN is NOT WORKING because I can't get to the log-in page of any of the 3 cameras with the phone browser. I can however get the google and the rest of the internet.
With WIFI OFF and VPN ON OR OFF, I can NOT get to the Login page of a camera. This tells me that my VPN is NOT working as I can only access the cameras via WIFI (with VPN OFF)

 

[fenderman]

With NoloC help, we confirmed that i have no ports forwarded. Is it possible there is an on-off switch somewhere that could be on? Assuming "no" or it does not matter as long as nothing is forwarded... Then my VPN is NOT WORKING because I can't get to the log-in page of any of the 3 cameras with the phone browser. I can however get the google and the rest of the internet.
With WIFI OFF and VPN ON OR OFF, I can NOT get to the Login page of a camera. This tells me that my VPN is NOT working as I can only access the cameras via WIFI (with VPN OFF)

if your port forwarding is off and you are really on a cellular connection there is no way you could see your cameras. In your previous post you wrote
"Concerning also is with VPN ON i can NOT connect the iphone to the camera via IP address using a browser, but I can with VPN turned OFF" is that with wifi on? of course that will be the case.

 

[Rick Simonton]

If the hardwired Mac can not access all the cameras, then you need to solve that problem first.

I can access all three cameras from both macs.
All three cameras have a static address ( i think) ... how do I confirm this>

 

[Rick Simonton]

if your port forwarding is off and you are really on a cellular connection there is no way you could see your cameras. In your previous post you wrote
"Concerning also is with VPN ON i can NOT connect the iphone to the camera via IP address using a browser, but I can with VPN turned OFF" is that with wifi on? of course that will be the case.

Yes you are correct, that is the case. WIFI on.

 

[NoloC]

How do I do that?

Asus provides a tool.

ASUS Nslookup

 

[NoloC]

You need to verify the ddns you entered into the OpenVPN app on your phone is correct. Check the ip returned using the tool ASUS Nslookup and verify it matches the ip reported by your ASUS 8600 router. Then hopefully that will be one less moving piece to worry about.

 

[Rick Simonton]

You need to verify the ddns you entered into the OpenVPN app on your phone is correct. Check the ip returned using the tool ASUS Nslookup and verify it matches the ip reported by your ASUS 8600 router. Then hopefully that will be one less moving piece to worry about.

OK so i got a IP address return from Nsllokup. It matches the address listed on the routers home page ...
Internet Status : CONNECTED
WAN IP: (matching ip address)
DDNS: SimonesHorseCam.asus.comm.com

 

[NoloC]

Well that is good. So if you entered that data correctly on your phone, then the problem lies elsewhere!
Did you say on the ASUS router OpenVPN status page, you can see your login from your phone as connected?
Play with that a bit to verify connected, disconnected.

If that works, that is as far as I can go. You are on the network via vpn.

 

[Rick Simonton]

Yes the status indicator goes on and off as I turn VPN on and off on the phone.
So we know its not that.
Thank you!
Rick

 

[NoloC]

Nice. So now we know you have successfully configured your vpn.

Well done!